Clam Chowder Contest Winners

Spud Point Crab Company won first place in the Bodega Bay Clam Chowder Contest for the fourth year in a row!

The 6th annual free event took place on Sat., Feb. 7, and we had a blast. Our friends Karen and Jim came from Petaluma, and Robin and Jeffrey from Oakland, and together we visited each of the seven participating restaurants to sample their special clam chowder recipes. Jeffrey developed an elaborate rating system that judged by creaminess, texture, "spiciness," number of clams, and overall flavor, but I preferred the Forrest Gump method, "I like it a lot."

Participating Restaurants:

• Spud Point Crab Company

• Bluewater Bistro

• Sandpiper Restaurant

• Claudio’s Trattoria

• Brisas del Mar

• The Boat House

• The Tides

It’s no surprise that Spud Point won first place, we all agreed their bold, creamy, garlicky recipe was our #1 favorite. Opened in 2004 by locals Carol and Tony Anello, their distinctive clam chowder quickly became famous and garnered tons of publicity from near and far. (Coastal Living Magazine recently said they serve the “world’s best clam chowder.”) Tony has been commercial fishing for 35 years and he provides all the fresh fish from his own boat and that of his son and brother. Carol and daughter Lisa run the mostly-outdoor restaurant. (A granddaughter and employee are pictured.) Our family loves this place and we often bring out-of-town guests here. Once I brought a huge batch home for some lunch guests and Carol explained how to carefully reheat it without ruining it. No, I didn't try to take credit for it, I admitted to my guests that it was from the famous Spud Point!

The Visitor’s Center said all six of the other restaurants tied for second place (what?), so allow me to share our second and third place favorites.


Several of us felt that Bluewater Bistro in Bodega Harbour and the Sandpiper Restaurant tied for second place. In fact, in last year’s contest they tied for second along with The Tides Wharf. Bluewater Bistro’s chowder was very gourmet, perfectly seasoned, and had generous chunks of salmon in addition to clams. It was refreshingly light, not as thick and creamy as some of the others.


The Sandpiper’s chowder was deliciously traditional, creamy, and had the perfect blend of herbs. I wanted seconds of this one! The Sandpiper has been getting a lot of press lately due to a dispute with their landlord—apparently he’s been threatening to evict them. They have a big “Save the Sandpiper” banner across the roof, and many locals wear buttons sporting the same slogan.


Karen and Jeffrey really liked the only Manhattan-style chowder on the list, served at Claudio's Trattoria. Maybe because their restaurant is Italian, their chowder had vegetables making it almost like a minestrone. Karen said whenever she craves a perfect bowl of soup, this is exactly what she pictures.

All of the other chowders were tasty too, and it was especially nice to meet and greet the local restaurateurs and thank them for participating in this wonderful annual event. (At The Boat House, the owner’s delightful school-age daughter helped check in tasters who were waiting patiently in long lines, while her mother brought out endless trays of chowder and crackers.) Just imagine how many pots of clam chowder they all served so generously for free that day.

Fortunately we got an early start, the Visitor’s Center said they were overwhelmed with people who came out for this event. They were expecting around 300 people but by noon 400 had shown up and by 2:00 p.m. they had to shut down because they ran out of maps and clam chowder. They ended up counting nearly 800 ballots!

The weather couldn’t have been more inviting. It was a gorgeous, sunny day with no wind. And talk about lucky, the very next day was overcast, chilly and windy, and of course it seems like it has been raining ever since. In fact, I sure could go for some more clam chowder about now. Decisions, decisions…